Radiology

Chief: Roberto Miraglia

The Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services is provided with state-of-the-art equipment and supports all ISMETT clinical and surgical departments, and is present in daily and weekly multidisciplinary meetings. After an exam, the images can be visualized on-line in any area of ISMETT, or sent to the University of Pittsburgh. All radiologists are involved in the training of new specialists, and research activities.

Radiology Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services:

  • Diagnostic radiology focuses on the study of the following diseases:
    • Diseases of the abdominal organs
    • Diseases of the chest
    • Diseases of the GI tract
    • Diseases of the genitourinary tract
    • Diseases of the cardiovascular system
    • Heart diseases (quantify the amount of calcium in coronary arteries, or calcium score: a non-invasive study of the coronary arteries with cardio-CT, and of morphology, functions, and viability of the myocardial tissue with cardio-MRI)
    • Neoplastic diseases

Diagnostic radiology is also used to assess potential living organ (liver, kidney)-donors.

  • Interventional radiology procedures are used for diagnostic purposes, or as a minimally-invasive alternative to the treatment of several diseases, including:
    • Arterial/venous vascular diseases (angioplasty, stent, embolization)
    • Liver tumors (locoregional treatment with ablation by radiofrequency or microwaves, alcoholization, embolization, chemoembolization, embolization of the right branch of the portal vein prior to the resection of large liver tumors)
    • Traumatic or iatrogenic bleeding lesions (embolization)
    • Portal hypertension (TIPS, varices embolization, splenic artery embolization, recanalization of the portal vein)
    • Acute occlusion of arteries, veins, and vascular grafts (thrombolytic therapy)
    • Pulmonary embolism (placement of caval filters)
    • Diseases of the pancreatic-biliary tract (drainages, stenosis dilation, removal of stones, biopsy)
    • GU diseases (nephrostomy, ureter stenosis dilation, removal of stones)
    • GI tract diseases
    • Lesions of solid organs or masses (ultrasound/CT guided biopsy, transjugular liver biopsy)
    • Drainage of fluid collections
    • Venous access
    • Minimally-invasive procedures supporting solid organ transplants
    • Minimally-invasive procedures supporting surgeries

Highly-specialized interventional radiology procedures include transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent (TIPS). ISMETT is one of the most experienced centers in Italy for these types of procedures, and collaborates with other European centers, especially with the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, and the University of Vienna.